


Angel Wing

by butterflyslinky



Category: That Guy with the Glasses/Channel Awesome
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Religious Imagery & Symbolism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-26
Updated: 2016-03-26
Packaged: 2018-05-29 05:49:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6361939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butterflyslinky/pseuds/butterflyslinky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When an angel loses his wing and falls to Earth, he learns more than he ever expected and finds more than he ever dreamed of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The theology and philosophies presented in this story are not necessarily the beliefs of the author or of the characters.

_“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”_  
 _1 John 4:18_  
  
The sword never felt right in his hand.  
  
Oh, sure, he knew how to use it, how to slay a demon with it when it came too close, but it was never what he was meant to wield.  
  
After all, angels were not meant to be warriors, per se. They were guardians, guides to the mortals below, and they only took up the swords when the mortal Earth was in danger.  
  
No, the sword never felt right in his hand.  
  
But the wings felt right. Huge, white, feathery wings that could lift him far above the clouds of the mortal world and keep him invisible to the human eye. Soft, flexible wings that made gentle breezes for the humans nearby. Strong, warm, comforting wings that he could wrap up in when he needed a rest and keep the nightmares away. Yes, the wings felt right.  
  
Spoony couldn’t imagine life without his wings. He knew that he hadn’t always had them—no angel gets his wings right away, the Christmas specials weren’t all bullshit—but it had been so long that he couldn’t remember what he had done before he got them.  
  
As long as he had wings, he was content.  
  
So when Saint Peter called to him, he wasn’t unhappy. After all, he was safe in the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever they wanted him to do, he could do it. Even if it meant watching the mortal world, helping some poor human, he would be fine.  
  
He was not expecting the sword.  
  
“What do you want me to do?” he asked, though he knew. He knew what the sword was for. Striking down the enemies of the Lord. Making the mortal world safe from the power of Satan.  
  
“There is a demon that needs slaying,” Saint Peter said. “He has left the Gates of Hell and is heading for the mortal world. Someone must stop him and it’s your turn to protect the humans.”  
  
“I… I think you want someone else for this one.”  
  
“Spoony.” Saint Peter sounded stern. “You know your duties to our Lord and our Kingdom.”  
  
Spoony nodded. “I do.”  
  
“Good. The demon’s name is Insano. A scientist on Earth who turned to darkness and was sent below, where he managed to impress Satan. He is trying to claim the mortal world for himself. Drive him back… slay him if you must. You won’t have trouble finding him. But he’s almost at the doorway, so you must hurry.”  
  
“Yes, Saint Peter.” Spoony took the sword. With a great flap of his wings, he flew off to the Pearly Gates, passing through unhindered, and to the doorway to the mortal world.   
  
*  
  
Saint Peter was right. Spoony had no trouble finding the demon. It was simply a matter of following the vice of mankind to the closest source. Demons rarely left Hell and when they did, they always made a spectacle of themselves. No, finding the demon wasn’t hard.  
  
Spoony found him on the plane just above the mortal world. Some mortals called it “purgatory,” but their concept of it was a bit off. It wasn’t a place for those not ready for Heaven. Rather, it was a plain where all three realms—Heaven, Hell, and the mortal world—intersected. All who wanted to pass from one to another had to come here first, which made it the primary location for battles between Heaven and Hell—the mortal world very rarely got involved, the humans content to sleep ignorant in their beds.  
  
Spoony spotted the demon right away. It was slinking toward the doorway to the mortal world, trying to be stealthy so as not to attract the attention of the Saints. He looked familiar, almost like Spoony himself, but his wings were scaly and black, built for creating tempests and cold, gained through misery as opposed to joy. Spoony readied his sword and leaped down to the demon, landing square on his back, knocking him down.  
  
“What business do you have on Earth, demon?” Spoony asked, holding his sword to the demon’s back.  
  
“What business does anyone from my plane have there?” the demon—Insano—asked. “To remind the mortals of their place, to bring them to their knees, to spread the darkness as far as it can spread.”  
  
“In the name of the Lord, I command you to—”  
  
“Command me?” Insano laughed manically. “You command me? My orders do not come from your pathetic kingdom, angel. You cannot command me to do anything.” With that, the demon pushed back, shoving Spoony off of him. He unfurled his dark wings and produced his own sword. “But if you want to protect that pathetic plane, you can fight me.”  
  
“Oh, I INTEND to,” Spoony said, throwing himself at Insano.  
  
Their swords met with a flash of lightning and a crack of thunder—the mortals below would hear the storm and hurry inside. Spoony pulled back and lunged again, but Insano blocked the sword before producing a device that Spoony couldn’t make heads or tails of and turning it on. He smirked as Spoony felt his wings shudder slightly. Spoony wasn’t sure what was happening, but he swung his sword and knocked the device from the demon’s hands. It fell to the ground—not quite as hard as the Earth, but harder than the clouds of Heaven—where it shattered.  
  
“What was that?” he asked, swinging his sword again.  
  
“Just a little gift from Hell,” Insano answered, blocking easily. “A little invention of mine that blocks the good of mankind from reaching you—that’s what you feed off of, isn’t it? And don’t worry about destroying it—it has already blocked you from receiving it and I can easily recreate it.”  
  
Spoony wasn’t sure if Insano was telling the truth, though the shudder that had gone through his wings seemed to point in that direction. But no! Even if he was weakened, he could do this. He had been given a task and he knew he could not return to the Kingdom of Heaven until he had completed it. He threw himself toward the demon, intent on finishing this battle one way or another.  
  
The battle went on for what seemed an age to Spoony—and it could well have been, it was hard to keep track of time when he had forever to live. But as the fight continued, Spoony realized that Insano had been telling the truth. He was weakening the more he fought, while before he would have gotten stronger, or at least remained at a constant level. But he couldn’t give up. Couldn’t let this demon make his way to the mortal world. Even if that meant fighting for all eternity, Spoony would do it.  
  
In desperation, Spoony flung himself at Insano again, swinging wildly with his sword. His wings were practically useless now, falling ragged behind him, but he could still stand. Insano had somehow gotten his back to the gate to the mortal world and when Spoony threw himself toward him, the demon sidestepped easily.   
  
Spoony couldn’t stop his forward momentum and he fell through the gateway. Just as he passed through, he felt a sharp pain from the base of his right wing. He turned his head back desperately as he fell.  
  
“Try getting back to Heaven now!” Insano cackled.  
  
Spoony was falling, falling toward the mortal world below. His sword flew from his hand, falling Lord only knew where.  He tried to flap his wings and fly above the storm clouds, but he found that only his left wing wanted to work… the right wing…  
  
Spoony looked over his right shoulder. His right wing was gone, cut off by Insano’s sword.  
  
One wing was not enough to fly. Spoony closed his eyes and hit the hard ground below, falling face down on the Earth. His back was definitely hurting now, throbbing where his wing had been cut off, though he knew he couldn’t bleed. That didn’t stop the pain, though. Not just the physical pain from losing it, but the pain of knowing that with only one wing, he couldn’t return to the Kingdom of Heaven.  
  
Spoony pushed himself to his knees. It was raining here on Earth, soaking his body, weighing him down. He buried his face in his hands and wept, his remaining wing hanging limp and ragged behind him, his dreams shattered, his heart empty.


	2. Chapter 2

Spoony wasn’t sure how long he sat there. Eventually, he stopped crying and looked around, examining the part of Earth that he had landed on. It was an isolated part, with trees all around, though he seemed to have landed on some sort of road winding through the trees. It was night time and the rain was still falling—someone else must have gone to purgatory to continue his battle when he fell.

Spoony then noticed that he was completely naked, the clothing of Heaven destroyed when he fell, though this didn’t bother him much. After all, there was no one around and even if there was, they’d probably be more disturbed by the gigantic wing than the rest of his appearance.

He wondered what he was supposed to do now. He couldn’t get back to Heaven like this, but he wasn’t about to start wandering the mortal world without any idea of where he was or what to look for. His stomach twisted unpleasantly when he thought of how disappointed the Saints must have been with him—couldn’t even take on a minor demon without falling to Earth where a mortal could find him…

Shit. This was not good at all. Now that he had touched the mortal ground, he could be seen, wing and all. If anyone happened along, Lord only knew what would happen to him. He’d probably be taken to some sort of laboratory for experiments, plastered all over the tabloid news, turned into a spectacle, cause arguments between various religious doctrines… the best he could hope for was that he’d be found by someone good, someone who wouldn’t use him for their own gain…

As if in answer to his prayers, a bright light suddenly appeared around a bend, lighting up the road and the rain. Spoony threw his hands in front of his eyes—apparently being on the mortal Earth meant that he was subject to the same little annoyances as the humans, like having bright lights cause a headache. A moment later, he realized that being run over was going to hurt a lot more than being blinded by bright lights, so he stood up, intent on getting off the road.

Right. Bad idea, since that only attracted attention. The light was coming from a car—after Spoony’s time on Earth, but he had been watching the world long enough to know what was going on—and it stopped. The lights didn’t turn off, but the door opened and a young man got out.

He was tall and healthy and wore a nice brown hat, the type that Spoony normally didn’t see humans wear anymore, but it looked right on this one, as though it was meant to be there. When he stepped into the light, Spoony saw that he was rather ordinary-looking, with plain brown hair and a face that, while pleasant, wasn’t anything humans would call special. But then Spoony looked into the young man’s clear blue eyes and saw in them a sort of goodness that not every human could maintain until adulthood. Spoony could see faith in them, and kindness, and strength—so much strength. And Spoony knew that this man wouldn’t harm him.

“Hey!” the young man called. “Are you okay?”

Spoony stared for a moment before answering. “Depends on your definition of ‘okay,’” he answered. “If you’re asking if I’m hurt, then the answer is, yes, I am hurt.” He gestured to his back. “If you’re asking if I’m sad, the answer is also yes. But if you’re asking if I have lost my faith, then the answer is no.”

The young man stopped and considered this for a moment. “I meant the first one,” he said. “But the other two work, I guess.” He examined Spoony closely. “What are you?”

“What do you think?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve never seen a man with a wing before. Though if I had to guess… some sort of fallen angel?”

“Got it in one,” Spoony said. “Are you frightened?”

“No. Should I be?”

“Most humans would be. You fear what you don’t understand.”

The young man shrugged. “Angels are good, right? I mean, they were good people on Earth. So even though you fell, there has to be some goodness in you. And you said yourself that you haven’t lost your faith, so I feel almost certain you won’t hurt me.” His eyes were moving over the rest of Spoony’s body now. Spoony could see a blush creep across the young man’s face. “Do you… do you want any help? I can take you somewhere warm… where you can… get some pants on, at least.”

Spoony looked at him suspiciously. Just because he saw good in the man’s eyes didn’t mean that he didn’t have an ulterior motive. “Where would you take me?” he asked.

“Just back to my apartment,” the young man said. “It’s about an hour away from here.”

“You wouldn’t hand me over to scientists?”

“No.”

“Or use me to prove your faith is correct?”

“Why would I do that?”

“Most would.”

“If I did that, wouldn’t it prove my own cynicism? After all, faith means believing in something whether you have proof or not.”

Spoony smiled. “You’re very wise.”

“That’s basic stuff.”

“Basic stuff that most humans ignore. They always need proof of something.”

“Well, I don’t.”

Spoony studied the young man’s face for a moment. “All right,” he said. “I accept whatever help you offer.” He held out his hand.

The young man hesitated before he stepped forward and grasped it. “My name is Linkara,” he said.

“Linkara,” Spoony repeated. It was a nice name. A strong name. It fit him well. “My name is Spoony.”

*

They didn’t speak again as they drove back to Linkara’s apartment. Spoony was caught up in a stream of silent prayers that Linkara had told the truth when he promised not to use Spoony to his own ends, and Linkara didn’t seem to want to disturb him, though he did keep glancing at Spoony every few seconds as they drove. Spoony didn’t blame him—he knew that he must be incredible to this human. Linkara had given him a blanket to wrap around his waist and they had folded the seat back as far as they could to make room for his wing, and overall, it wasn’t a horribly uncomfortable journey.

At last, they reached a small town and went to a fairly large building. Linkara glanced around nervously as he pulled out his keys and led Spoony inside. Spoony knew what was on his mind. He wasn’t entirely sure he wanted anyone else to know about him, either. But it was so late at night that there was no one on the street, nor did anyone look out of their doors as Linkara took Spoony up a flight of steps and to a door that was identical to all the others in the hallway. Linkara hurried him inside and locked the door as soon as it closed.

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll just get you something else to wear… you can sit down on the futon if you want.”

“Thank you,” Spoony said. He sat down while Linkara went down the hallway to another room. It took a moment of adjustment before Spoony found a comfortable position for his wing, but he finally did, tucking it behind him at an angle so it didn’t hit the futon or take up too much space.

Linkara returned a moment later with several garments in his arms. “Here,” he said, offering a pair of pants. “Try those on. I don’t know if they’ll fit you, but…”

“It’s fine,” Spoony said, accepting them and pulling them on. They were black, comfortable, slightly loose, but they would hold.

Linkara fidgeted nervously. “I…I’m not too sure about a shirt… I mean, I don’t want to constrict your wing any… and I’m not sure…”

“It’s fine,” Spoony repeated. “At least, as long as you’re not too uncomfortable.”

“No!” Linkara said quickly. “I only meant… you might get cold…” He was blushing again.

Spoony smiled. “Trust me. I won’t be.” He unfurled his wing a bit. “I can just wrap my wing around myself and I’ll be perfectly warm.”

Linkara nodded. “How… how big…?”

Spoony stood up and spread his wing, letting it circle up until the wingtip was above his head, brushing the ceiling. Linkara stared in awe. “Wow,” he muttered.

Spoony relaxed, letting his wing fall back down. “It was more impressive when there were two,” he said.

“I can imagine,” Linkara murmured reverently. “How… never mind.”

“How did I lose it?” Spoony asked.

“If… if you don’t want to answer, that’s okay,” Linkara said.

“It’s all right,” Spoony said. “It’s only natural that you would be curious.” He sat back down on the futon. “I was fighting a demon that wanted to take the mortal world and he got the best of me. Weakened me enough that I couldn’t fight him, then tricked me into falling… and he cut off my wing as I passed so that I couldn’t return to Heaven. So I fell… and you found me.”

Linkara nodded. “I’m sorry,” he said.

“Why?” Spoony said. “You did nothing wrong. In fact, you’ve done nothing but right.”

“Just what people say,” Linkara muttered. “So… are you hungry at all? What do angels even eat?”

“We don’t,” Spoony answered. “We’re nourished by the good will of man. So as long as people are good, the angels will never be hungry.”

Linkara nodded. “Okay, then… I was just going to get something to eat before bed… I don’t know, do angels sleep?”

“We can,” Spoony said. “And if I’m going to be here long, I’d probably better get in the habit.”

“Futon okay? I can fold it out for you.”

“Fine.”

Linkara quickly did so and found a few more blankets, in spite of Spoony’s assurances that he would be warm enough. Spoony smiled. At least the Saints had been listening when he asked for kindness. He could feel himself regaining strength. Perhaps whatever Insano had done to block the goodness was wearing off, or maybe it was being so close to someone so kind, but Spoony knew that he would be all right now. He lay down, wrapping his wing around himself and pulling the blankets over his legs. “Good night, Linkara,” he called. “And thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Linkara said. “I’ll see you in the morning.” And with that, Linkara retreated down the hall to his own room.


	3. Chapter 3

Spoony woke the next morning to sunlight streaming through the window and someone knocking on the door. He froze, wondering if he should get up and answer it, or wake Linkara to deal with it. After a moment, he decided on the second course of action, since having the door answered by a one-winged angel would probably scare the crap out of whoever was on the other side and end badly for everyone involved. He rose quickly, kicking off the blankets and relaxing his wing before padding softly down the hallway and knocking on the door Linkara had told him was his room. “Linkara?” he called softly.

The door opened a moment later to reveal Linkara, bleary-eyed and tousle-haired. Spoony flinched. He had forgotten that being up so late the night before would make the human tired this morning.

“Wassamatter?” Linkara muttered.

“Someone at the door. Wasn’t sure if…”

“Oh, crap,” Linkara muttered, grabbing his glasses. “I’ll deal with it. You stay in here… we probably shouldn’t let anyone know you exist.”

Spoony nodded and slipped into the bedroom as Linkara went out to see who was disturbing him this early in the morning—though as Spoony glanced at Linkara’s clock and at the sunlight outside, he realized that it wasn’t early at all, but was almost noon. His host must have been more tired than Spoony had realized.

He sat down on the bed and waited for a signal that he could reappear, closing his eyes and hoping that Linkara wasn’t too annoyed that he had been woken.

Linkara returned a few minutes later. “It’s okay,” he said. “Just a neighbor dropping off some mislabeled mail. You can come out now.”

“I’m sorry I woke you,” Spoony said.

 

Linkara waved his hand dismissively. “It’s okay, I needed to get up anyway. I have work to get done today.”

“All right,” Spoony said. “I’ll just go somewhere else… you can dress…”

Linkara nodded and Spoony left the room.

*

A few minutes later, Linkara joined Spoony in the living room, sitting down at the desks with the computer screens. Spoony watched with great interest as Linkara started working on something that involved brightly colored pictures being moved around the screen. “I review comic books,” Linkara explained. “On the Internet.”

Spoony nodded. He knew enough about the mortal world to understand that sentence. “You like doing that?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Linkara said. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t do it.”

“That’s good,” Spoony said. He wasn’t quite sure what to say.

Linkara glanced at him. “I…I’m sorry…I don’t know what to give you… there are comic books on the shelf if you want to read them.”

“Thanks,” Spoony said. He got off the futon and went to the shelf, looking over the titles. They all looked fairly interesting. “I…I won’t impose on you too long…”

“Where else are you going to go?” Linkara asked, not even looking up from his work.

“I don’t know,” Spoony admitted. “The Lord will provide, I guess.”

“He provided you with me,” Linkara said. “You can stay as long as you need to. I wouldn’t mind the company.”

“So you usually live alone?”

“Mostly. I had a girlfriend a few years ago, but she’s gone. There are some people who drop by occasionally, but they never stay long. You should be okay here.”

“If one of these people does drop by…”

“I’ll think of something.” Linkara turned and looked Spoony directly in the eyes. “I promise that as long as you’re here, no harm will come to you.”

“You can’t make promises like that.”

“Okay, I promise that I will protect you to the best of my abilities.”

“Better.”

Linkara smiled slightly and went back to work. Spoony watched him for a moment before turning back to the shelf and picking up a random book. It didn’t matter if it was good or bad, just something to do. He sat down on the futon and began to read, studying the pictures carefully. He didn’t quite understand what was going on, or why anyone would dress up as a bat to fight crime, but the story was entertaining and it kept him occupied.

After several minutes of quiet, Linkara suddenly broke the silence. “How are you going to get back?” he asked before he could stop himself.

Spoony stopped reading and looked straight ahead. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I guess I’ll just have to pray for the Lord to repair my wing.”

Linkara nodded. “That makes sense, I guess,” he said. “But don’t you earn your wings by doing good deeds or something?”

“Yes,” Spoony answered. As long as he was going to stay with this human, he might as well answer questions. “I earned my wings… what year is it now?”

“2014,” Linkara answered.

“Already? How time flies in eternity. I earned my wings three hundred years ago when I guided a priest who lost his faith… it almost destroyed his entire village. But I don’t think that will work this time around.”

“Why not? There are thousands, if not millions of people who could use a little guidance these days.”

“And what do you think the modern world would do to a guy who showed up half-naked with one wing on his back, preaching the Word of the Lord?”

Linkara was quiet for a moment. “Good point,” he muttered. “I…I guess prayer is the only option, then.”

“Hopefully it can be fixed,” Spoony said. “Since it was cut off by a demon’s sword.”

“But…it’s God, right? He can do anything, can’t He?”

“Yes, but miracles aren’t instantaneous, especially when you live forever. I could be here for a very long time before He gets around to me.”

“Well, yeah. That’s part of faith, too, isn’t it? Believing that things will get better eventually, even if you have to wait?”

“Exactly. And wings are built on faith.”

Linkara nodded as if he understood. “Well, I can add my prayers to yours. Maybe they’ll reach Him faster that way.”

“Maybe,” Spoony said with a smile. “Thank you, Linkara.”

“So if you earned your wings three hundred years ago,” Linkara said. “Why aren’t you flipping out over all the changes in the world since then?”

“We do watch the Earth,” Spoony said with a laugh. “I’ve seen the world change. I’ve seen the new inventions and the progress… it’s exhilarating to watch. And there are new souls coming into Heaven who tell us about it. I know what to expect when I get down here.”

“So you’ve been back down?”

“Yeah. Normally just fly around a bit, smile at a few babies, make some nice breezes for people outside… as long as we don’t touch the ground, we can’t be seen. But when I fell…”

“I see.”

“Just remember that. There’s usually an angel around. You just have to believe in them.”


	4. Chapter 4

Several days passed. Spoony didn’t keep track of how many. In terms of eternity, a few days, even a few years, meant nothing. He prayed faithfully every night, asking to be restored to the Kingdom of Heaven, but otherwise, he had to be content with waiting. Linkara did his best to keep Spoony both hidden and entertained, asking questions every now and then that Spoony answered as honestly as he could. Linkara was an eager listener, and with every revelation that came, he adjusted his life accordingly, always trying to be the absolute best he could be.

If only more people were like him…

Linkara was also glad to explain the things Spoony didn’t understand to him. While the angel had a good idea of what the world was like, he wasn’t up on all the specifics and Linkara was the perfect person to explain them. At first, Linkara had been a bit nervous, worried that as an angel, Spoony would be more easily offended than normal humans, but Spoony quickly laid that fear to rest. “I’ve been watching Earth for over three hundred years,” he said. “Do you really think you can show me anything I haven’t already seen?”

“That doesn’t mean it won’t upset you.”

“If I got upset by all the bad stuff that went on in this world, I wouldn’t be able to function. Heaven may be above it all. That doesn’t mean we aren’t aware of it.”

After that, Linkara had been open about everything, not worried about Spoony’s reaction to sin and vice, even showing him films and video games that would upset the most uptight of Christian elders. It was a major revelation the night they played Tekken and Spoony beat Linkara with a hearty “Fuck yeah!”

“Angels can swear?” he asked in surprise.

Spoony rolled his eyes. “Of all the things you think the Lord worries about, you pick fucking words?”

“I just thought…”

“Trust me, Linkara. If it doesn’t hurt anybody, the Saints don’t care.”

“Words can hurt people, though. Insults, threats…”

“Does my language hurt you?”

“No.”

“Then don’t worry about it.”

And Linkara didn’t, though he was still faintly surprised when Spoony said something crass. But after a day or two, even that faded and Linkara stopped being upset about it.

“Can you describe it?” Linkara asked one night as they sat silent together, having just watched a very entertaining film about knights looking for the Holy Grail and failing miserably at it.

“What?”

“Heaven.”

“Whose Heaven?”

“You mean there’s more than one?”

“Of course there is. You don’t think everyone just flutters around and strums a harp, do you? Heaven is what you make of it.”

“I always thought…”

Spoony waved his hand. “It’s okay. Every religion likes to teach that there’s only one Heaven and only the people who follow their exact teachings can get in. You’re asking about the Christian Heaven, I assume.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s…it’s much different than what the Bible says, and yet not… they call it Paradise, the place where you’re close to the Lord, and it is… not that you see the Lord very often, He’s a little bit busy running the universe. But there’s no pain there, or sin or death… just peace and light and good works. Occasionally you’re sent to do a good deed on Earth or in the space between Heaven and Earth… like I was… but it’s all right, because it’s the good thing to do. The work of the Lord. And you can see down into the world, and make little changes here and there. Nothing drastic, just a sunny day for someone, or a smile for someone who’s feeling down. And it’s beautiful… you have no idea, Linkara. I can’t even… the mortals have no words for it.”

“A lot of people have tried.”

“They can’t even come close. You’ll just have to wait and see it for yourself.”

Linkara looked down. “If I make it.”

Spoony stared at him. “Why wouldn’t you make it? You’re good. You’re kind, you’re faithful. You picked a stranger up off the street, took him in, clothed him, offered food from your table… you’ve done everything right. There is a place for Heaven for every good person.”

“But is anyone really good? I’ve…sinned. I’ve done some bad things. I have anger problems, I lust after women… and maybe a few men,” he muttered, turning red. “Is there really a place for me among the angels?”

Spoony rolled his eyes. “Oh, really? You’re going to go that route? Do you honestly think there’s anyone in the Kingdom of Heaven who didn’t sin on Earth? We’re all sinners. That’s why the Lord sent Jesus to us. To teach us to be better, to die for our sins so that we could all be accepted. As long as we strive to do good, there is a place for us, regardless of what others call sin.”

Linkara nodded. “Thank you,” he whispered. He looked up at Spoony, studying him. “You were young when you died.”

“By your standards, yes,” Spoony said. “It wasn’t unusual to die at thirty back then.”

“I suppose not,” Linkara agreed. “It’s just a little sobering, knowing… you weren’t much older than I am.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Spoony said. “Your medicine has advanced to the point where you’ll live for a very long time before we see you at the gates.”

“I know. Just a bit odd to me.” He looked at Spoony a little longer. “Are the angels all beautiful?” he asked before he could stop himself.

Spoony smiled. “Of course they are,” he answered. “Because every good soul is beautiful.” He looked deep into Linkara’s eyes. “And in this world where people need so much guidance… where they use religion to harm others, where they lose their way and stop caring, where faith is so rare… finding a truly beautiful soul is always a blessing.”

Linkara blushed. “I’m glad I’ve gotten to see one,” he said. “Everything about you… your assurances, your eyes, your wing… they’re all so perfect.”

“I wish you could have seen the other wing. They look better together.”

“The one you have is still perfect. I can’t even tell… I thought at first it was just feathers, but the more I study it…”

Spoony nodded. “Wings are structured with faith—what you’d call bone or cartilage. Then they’re covered with hopes and dreams, which look like feathers until you look closer. And they work by righteousness. Without one of those things, the wings are useless.”

“Can I…can I touch it?” Linkara turned redder than ever, but he wanted to know.

Spoony hesitated. If it was anyone else, he wouldn’t allow it—allowing an angel’s wing to be sullied by unfaithful hands could do more damage than losing it entirely—but Spoony had seen enough of Linkara’s soul to know that he was faithful. “You may,” he said.

Linkara reached out and tentatively stroked the edge of the wing with his hand. Spoony shivered. No one had ever touched his wings until Insano had cut one off. This was entirely different. Linkara’s hand was soft and warm. Spoony could practically feel the goodness coming off of him. It felt good; better than good as Linkara’s hand grew bolder, stroking over the feathery dreams covering the structure. The look on Linkara’s face was one of pure amazement. Spoony didn’t blame him. He had never found anything softer than angel’s wings.

After a few minutes, Linkara pulled his hand away, though his face maintained that look of wonder. “Thank you,” he whispered reverently. Spoony smiled, happy that he could share this with his friend.

*

Later that night, as Spoony rested on the futon, he heard a cry from the direction of Linkara’s room. He rose, wondering what could be disturbing his host. He padded down the hall, moving his wing to avoid hitting anything. “Linkara?” he called softly.

There was no answer, but as Spoony stood outside the door, he heard a low whimper from inside. He frowned and opened the door. “Linkara!”

The young man was lying in bed, his eyes squeezed shut, twitching, whimpering occasionally, muttering nonsense. Spoony hurried to his side. It was probably a nightmare, but he didn’t want Linkara to ever be hurt or scared, even in dreams. He shook him roughly. “Linkara!”

Linkara’s eyes snapped open and he sat straight up. “Spoony!”

“It’s all right,” Spoony said. “You just had a nightmare.”

Linkara breathed heavily, hugging his knees, staring straight ahead. “It felt… it was more real than any other nightmare… I could see… dark shapes… and…and they had you… they were holding you…tearing your wing…” He looked at Spoony with tear-filled eyes. “I’m sorry if I disturbed you.”

“It’s okay,” Spoony said. “I wasn’t asleep, you know.” He sat down on the bed beside Linkara. “Could you see what the dark figures were?”

“They were human-like, but they had wings…not angel wings…they were black…scaly…and they had claws…”

“Demons,” Spoony muttered. He looked into Linkara’s eyes, studying carefully. “They can occasionally plant nightmares into a human’s mind…” He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry you had to see that. But it was just a dream. I’m here. We’re both all right.”

Linkara nodded. “You said there were demons… I didn’t realize…”

“You didn’t think that Heaven was that forgiving, did you? The people who live to harm others…the ones who don’t try to be good…there is Hell for them. And many become demons… built on despair and loss and doubt. It’s an eternal battle…and the mortal world often gets caught in between. And they like to fuck with people through nightmares…they must have gotten around to you tonight.” He glanced at the clock. “You need to go back to sleep. You have work to do…”

Linkara caught Spoony’s wrist. “Don’t go,” he begged. “I…I can’t sleep… I need to know you’re safe.”

Spoony hesitated, then nodded. “Okay. Okay, I’ll stay right here.” He gently lay Linkara back down and lay beside him. Linkara curled into the angel’s chest, his arms wrapping around him. Spoony was a bit surprised, but then he reciprocated, winding his arms around Linkara’s torso, stroking his hair. He spread his wing out, laying it over Linkara like a blanket, and watched as the young man drifted off to sleep, his face growing peaceful, his heart beating against Spoony’s chest.

 


	5. Chapter 5

Waking was a lot more awkward that Spoony cared to admit. It wasn’t that he woke with Linkara in his arms, his wing keeping them both warm—that felt right, almost natural. Linkara was warm in his arms, firm, steady. Faithful. Perfect.  
  
  
What was awkward was the heartbeat.  
  
  
It had been a very long time since Spoony had heard a human heartbeat, especially so close to him. It was steady and strong and not unpleasant, but Spoony could feel so much more than that as he felt Linkara’s heart beating against him. He could feel contentment and safety and…  
  
  
No. It couldn’t be. It was a good thing, yes, but it wasn’t allowed. It wasn’t something that Spoony could return. He had to be above it. Had to stay away from that. Had to remain devoted to the Lord and the Kingdom of Heaven.  
  
  
But it would hurt to tell that to Linkara. It would hurt them both to explain why the feeling could not be shared.  
  
  
Linkara stirred in his arms. His blue eyes opened and he smiled at Spoony. “Morning,” he murmured.  
  
  
“Morning,” Spoony said back. “How are you feeling?”  
  
  
“Fine,” Linkara said. “More than fine.” He ran his hand over the wing still enveloping him. “Do these things keep nightmares away?”  
  
  
“Yeah,” Spoony said. “Some angels use them to do that. I don’t, usually, but…you needed it.”  
  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
  
“You’re welcome.” Spoony carefully folded his wing back and let go of Linkara. “You should get up… get something to eat.”  
  
  
“Yeah,” Linkara said with a yawn, rising from the bed. “Yeah, I’m going.”  
  
  
Spoony watched him go, getting up a moment later and following, wondering if Linkara even realized what was happening.  
  
  
*  
  
  
What a lot of people didn’t realize was that love was the most powerful force in the universe.  
  
  
Oh, sure, a lot of people talked about it, acknowledged it as something wonderful, wrote poems, songs, books about it. But they didn’t know just how strong love could be, especially when felt by those who were not human.  
  
  
Spoony knew how strong it was. He knew what love could do to a person, how humans could fly because of it, how nations could fall before it. How much angels could lose because of it.  
  
  
Falling in love with a human wasn’t simple for an angel. It wasn’t just a feeling—it was more permanent, more destructive, and absolutely impossible to get out of. Once an angel gave his heart to a human, he was bound to that human for eternity, not just sharing their life, but their death and their ultimate fate, whether it be Heaven or Hell.  
  
  
Spoony wasn’t afraid that Linkara’s ultimate fate would be Hell. He knew Linkara’s soul. He knew that there was a place for him in the Kingdom of Heaven. But he was afraid of falling in love with him. Living a mortal life, giving himself completely to another… that would be too much. Too intense. Too unpredictable.  
  
  
And even if he could feel the love from Linkara, there was no guarantee that it would last. Human love could be fleeting, a simple flair that would fade as soon as he saw something better. Spoony wasn’t going to give his heart to someone if he wasn’t sure that it would be reciprocated forever, and asking a mortal to love him for all eternity was impossible. Humans couldn’t comprehend eternity, let alone make a promise for all of it.  
  
  
So Spoony said nothing. He acted normal, pretended that he hadn’t felt that heartbeat, forced himself to think that he had been wrong. Though he couldn’t help glancing at Linkara throughout the day, watching him write a script for his review show, trying to see if he had been right, trying to determine how closely he needed to guard his heart.  
Luckily, Linkara was in such a deep state of concentration that he didn’t notice Spoony studying him. He did glance up once or twice, and their eyes met, but Linkara just smiled slightly before returning to his work. Spoony wasn’t sure how to judge. If Linkara even realized that he was feeling love, he gave no outward sign of it.  
  
  
*  
  
  
As the days passed, Spoony kept a close eye on Linkara, trying to interpret his actions and decide if they were meant as friendship or something more. If the hand that lingering on his wing whenever it was permitted was merely reveling in the softness of dreams or if it was trying to convey something else. If Linkara’s eyes shone brighter when Spoony spoke because of interest in the topic or interest in him. If his heart beat faster when Spoony entered the room or if it was just that fast naturally.  
  
  
But after several days, Spoony was still unable to decide if he had been correct in thinking that Linkara had started to fall in love with him. And worse, he was uncertain as to whether he was falling for Linkara in turn.  
  
  
The man was just so good. He always saw to Spoony’s comfort, never asked anything for himself after the nightmare, always showed the utmost kindness, never betrayed Spoony to those who would exploit him for their own gain. He showed Spoony so much of the world, even without leaving the small apartment. He listened to everything Spoony said, accepted everything he was taught, but not without thinking. He always asked questions as a good student should, always applied what he knew about life to what Spoony knew about Heaven. Every bit of kindness that he had was shown to Spoony and it was just so easy to forget sometimes that they were so different, separated by a wing and four hundred years of experience. Sometimes, it felt as though they were the same, like Spoony had been waiting all this time to find him.  
  
  
But he was still uncertain. Still afraid. So his prayers redoubled, practically begging for restoration, for someone to come get him and take him back to Heaven, or at least to the realm in-between, just so he wouldn’t have to deal with this. He didn’t belong on Earth, he knew that. He should never have fallen here, should have remained above, away from emotions this complicated, away from pain this real, away from someone this perfect.   
  
  
His prayers were not answered. He knew that it took time, that there were a lot of matters far more important than he was that the Saints had to deal with, but it was frustrating to see the sun rise and set without a sign. Why weren’t they listening? They could at least tell him that they had heard him so he could hope.  
  
  
After three weeks of waiting, Spoony began to feel doubt. Why hadn’t they answered? What had he done wrong? Did they know that he was uncertain about Linkara? Were they angry that Insano had gotten the best of him?  
  
  
“Fuck,” he muttered, causing Linkara to look up from his work.  
  
  
“What’s wrong?” he asked, genuine concern in his voice.  
  
  
“I…I’m not sure that they’re listening up there,” Spoony admitted. “I’ve prayed for weeks and there’s been no sign. Not even an acknowledgment that they heard me.”  
  
  
“But you said that it takes time,” Linkara said. “Maybe they’ve just got a backlog of people praying that they’re trying to get through.”  
  
  
“I know,” Spoony sighed. “I know there are millions of prayers going up all the time and I can’t expect them to fix everything immediately, but… shit, Linkara, I really fucked up back there. They could at least tell me if someone else took care of that demon.”  
  
  
“You didn’t screw anything up,” Linkara assured him. “You didn’t know… anyway, I’m sure it’s fine. If a demon had shown up on Earth, we’d know. There’d be mass chaos and people dying and more crap happening… I believe that they took care of it.”  
  
  
Spoony smiled wryly. “You’re right. It’s just… I want to go home, Linkara. I don’t…I don’t belong on Earth…not anymore. I should be up there, making babies smile and all that crap.”  
  
  
“I know,” Linkara said. “But…at least you can make me smile.” He looked up hopefully. “That’s something good, isn’t it?”  
  
  
“I guess so,” Spoony murmured. He hesitated. “Linkara?” he asked tentatively. “Do you… do you like having me here?”  
  
  
“Of course I do,” Linkara answered. “You’re great to have around. You’re funny, you’re smart, you’re beautiful… I mean…” He blushed. “I…I like having company. And you’re good company. And… I know you can’t stay forever, but…I’ll be very sad to see you go.”  
  
  
Spoony stared deep into Linkara’s eyes and nodded. “I’m sorry,” he said before he glanced at the clock. “You should get some sleep.”  
  
  
“I should,” Linkara agreed, rising from the futon. “Good night, Spoony.”  
  
  
“Good night, Linkara.”  
  
  
*  
  
  
Spoony rarely slept. He could, but he didn’t. It wasn’t necessary. He did rest while Linkara slept, but he didn’t often sleep.  
  
  
But that night he did. As soon as he curled up under his wing, he fell asleep and began to dream.  
  
  
 _He was in the realm between the worlds, seated on a stone with his wing dragging on the ground. Limp. Broken. Useless._  
  
  
 _“Spoony,” came the voice of Saint Peter from high above him. “Why did you doubt?”_  
  
  
 _“Because you did not answer,” Spoony said. “And how do you know that I doubted?”_  
  
  
 _“Your wing would not be broken if you had kept the faith.”_  
  
  
 _“It doesn’t matter if it’s broken. I cannot fly with only one wing.”_  
  
  
 _“No. But why should that cause doubt?”_  
  
  
 _Spoony sighed. “Look, I’m sorry. But I waited for weeks and you didn’t answer my prayers.”_  
  
  
 _“Weeks? You’ve lived centuries and you’re complaining that you’ve had to wait a few weeks? In four hundred years, you haven’t learned that the Lord works in His own time and you just have to trust him? Has your time on Earth really been so miserable?”_  
  
  
 _“No. It’s been wonderful… a little too wonderful, to tell the truth.”_  
  
  
 _“The boy?”_  
  
  
 _“I…I don’t know what to feel.”_  
  
  
 _“He cares for you.”_  
  
  
 _“I know.”_  
  
  
 _“But you don’t reciprocate?”_  
  
  
 _“I care for him. But I can’t love him. Not until I’m sure that he wants it as well.”_  
  
  
 _“Did it ever occur to you that the Lord works in mysterious ways? That perhaps you were meant to fall? That you were meant to find him?”_  
  
  
 _Spoony ignored that question. “I need to get back to the Kingdom of Heaven. What must I do?”_  
  
  
 _“If that’s what you want…”_  
  
  
 _“Why wouldn’t it be?”_  
  
  
 _“You know the answer. But if that’s what you really want, you must defeat Insano.”_  
  
  
 _“How?”_  
  
  
 _“Where is your sword?”_  
  
  
 _“I lost it when I fell.”_  
  
  
 _“Find it. Take it up and defeat him. Once you do, your wing will be restored and you will be able to return.”_  
  
  
 _Spoony nodded. “I will.”_  
  
  
 _“Just be certain. You don’t have much time.”_  
  
  
 _“Where will I find Insano?”_  
  
  
 _“You won’t have to look. He’s on his way now.”_


	6. Chapter 6

Spoony woke with a start. He lay still for a moment before leaping to his feet. “Linkara!” he called. “Linkara!”

There was no answer from the room down the hall. Spoony glanced at the clock. Midnight. He had learned over the last few weeks that it was almost impossible to wake Linkara at that time. He sighed, wondering how he was going to get back to that place.

Well, there was nothing for it. He’d have to walk. There wasn’t time to wake Linkara and flying was out of the question. He would have to hurry, though. He didn’t want to risk being found in the daylight by another human.

Spoony headed out the door, hoping that no one would notice him as he ran through the streets, ducking into the shadows, trying not to attract attention. It had taken an hour to reach those woods by car and it would take a mortal several hours, but Spoony wouldn’t tire. He could run—not particularly fast, but without stopping. If he found the sword quickly, he could be back to Linkara by sunrise. If not... well, then he would have to remain in the woods until night fell. He couldn’t risk being on the main roads in the daylight.

He reached the woods two hours later. It was pitch dark and there were no cars coming, but Spoony didn’t need light. The sword would be found—it had to be nearby and it would still have the light of Heaven. He simply had to look for the light.

Spoony closed his eyes, spun around in a circle, and began to walk. He had to trust his faith to lead him now.

He didn’t know how long he walked. He felt tree branches scratch at his face and arms and tear at his wing, but he didn’t stop, didn’t even open his eyes. He just kept going, hands at his side, wing tucked behind him.

At last, he felt it. The light shining through his eyelids. He slowly opened them and spotted the sword lying on the ground in the middle of the forest. He hurried to it and picked it up. It still didn’t feel right in his hand, but after weeks of having almost no contact with the Kingdom of Heaven, it almost felt like an old friend.

Spoony looked at the moon and realized that he only had two hours to get back to Linkara before the sun rose. He turned and ran, trusting the light of Heaven to lead him back.

*

Linkara woke up as the door opened outside. “Spoony?” he called, wondering what the angel could be doing outside at this time.

There was no answer. The door slammed shut. Linkara frowned. Spoony never slammed doors. He was always so graceful, so gentle in his movements… “Spoony?” he called again, getting out of bed and padding down the hallway toward the living room.

Spoony was gone. The blankets were thrown back on the futon. Linkara swallowed. Had Spoony’s prayers been answered? Had he returned to Heaven? Would Linkara see him again or…?

No. He knew this was going to happen. He had known from the beginning that Spoony wasn’t going to stay. Why would he? Spoony was an angel. He belonged in Heaven, in paradise in peace. Linkara was only human. No one would forsake the Kingdom of Heaven for a mere mortal.

He only wished that Spoony had said goodbye…

A hand suddenly reached out and grabbed his shoulder. Linkara whirled around and found himself staring into a very familiar and yet completely strange face.

It was Spoony, but it wasn’t. The smile was too wide, the teeth too sharp, and over his eyes was a pair of goggles, swirling with a thousand colors. And the wings… the wings were all wrong. There were two of them, but they weren’t angel wings. They were black, scaly, sharp… just like in his nightmare.

There was a demon standing in his living room.

Linkara tried to scream, to call for help, to pray, but the demon was on him in a moment, knocking him down and pressing one clawed hand to his throat, cutting off his breathing, making it impossible for him to cry out. “Hush,” he said. “I’m not here to kill you… yet.” He produced a sword and held it to Linkara’s throat. “I’m just here to finish something.”

Linkara stared up at him, afraid but silent, praying desperately in his head. The demon’s grin widened as he removed his hand and the sword from Linkara’s throat, though he remained on top of Linkara, pinning him down. “Now,” the demon said. “Where is your angel?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Linkara said quickly. This must be the one, the demon who had cut off Spoony’s wing.

The demon scratched him, his claws cutting Linkara’s cheek. Blood fell onto the carpet. “You do know.” He laughed manically. “It’s hard to find a fallen angel, usually, but when a human falls for one… it’s like a signal flare. Love… that pitiful little emotion that humans feel…it has a very distinctive signal, especially when angels are involved.”

Linkara shook his head. He didn’t love Spoony, that wasn’t it at all! He just like the angel’s company…his voice…his eyes…his hair…his body…and his wing, oh, God his wing…

The demon laughed again. “Don’t try to deny it!” he cackled. “Anyone can see it from a mile away. You love an angel in spite of the fact that he could never love you back! Now where is he?”

“I…I don’t know,” Linkara whimpered. “He’s gone…he’s gone and he probably won’t come back…” Tears were falling down his face now, smearing the blood from the scratches. Not from the physical pain, though. He wasn’t crying for that. He was crying for Spoony, for all that they would never share, for the heart that was breaking in his chest…maybe he did love him after all…not that it mattered. Spoony would never love him back, not like that.

The demon studied him for a moment. “You might even be telling the truth,” he said softly. “But there’s a simple way to find out…” He picked up the sword and stabbed it into Linkara’s leg.

Linkara screamed, not caring if he woke his neighbors or even the entire town. Maybe someone would come, maybe someone would call the police…maybe Spoony would hear…

“Hmm… I’m not sure if that was loud enough. If he’s already back in Heaven, that wouldn’t reach him…” The demon stabbed the other leg, drawing a louder scream from Linkara. Please let someone hear me, he prayed. Please let someone find me… A stab to each arm, cutting through his biceps and pulling louder and louder screams from Linkara.

The demon raised the sword one more time, setting the tip over Linkara’s heart. “One more,” he said quietly. “One more to draw him back.” He started to press the blade down. Linkara closed his eyes, preparing for the oblivion. Maybe Spoony would be waiting for him…

The door banged open and the blade was suddenly gone, the demon’s weight pulled off of him. Linkara opened his eyes and saw a bright light clash with a great darkness in front of him. He tried to sit up, but he couldn’t. The pain in his legs and arms and chest and cheek was too much.

There was a crash of swords and Linkara’s eyes adjusted enough to make out two figures, one dark and harsh, the other light and soft and with only one wing.

“Spoony…” Linkara whispered and then everything went black.

*

It was a miracle that they hadn’t woken the entire town. Between the screams that Spoony could hear three blocks away and the crashes their swords made whenever they hit, the angel figured that a neighbor at least would have woken up by now.

But no one was coming. There was no one pounding on the door, no one shouting through the ceiling, no police sirens blaring in the distance. Spoony wondered why that was, and then he mentally kicked himself for thinking about that when Linkara was bleeding out on the carpet and Insano had breached the mortal world.

“So,” Insano said as he pushed Spoony’s sword back. “You survived the fall. Impressive.”

“Not really,” Spoony responded, pushing Insano back. “Anyone who isn’t a pussy can survive that.”

“With only one wing?”

“My one wing is stronger than both of yours put together.”

“So why was I able to cut one off?”

“Because you drained me first. Because you made me lose a bit of faith. Because you tricked me.”

“Because I’m stronger!”

“A demon can never be stronger than an angel!”

“Oh, yeah? So why is your boyfriend dying by my hand? You’re not even strong enough to save him!”

Spoony growled and lunged forward, pushing Insano back into the wall. “He will not die!”

“You can’t stop him from dying.”

“Can’t I?”

“You can only save him if you defeat me… and we both know you can’t do that.”

Spoony’s eyes flashed. “I can,” he said. “I can!” He thrust his sword forward, knocking Insano’s aside and pushing the blade through the place where the demon’s heart should have been.

And inhuman scream filled the air, sending a chill down Spoony’s spine. Insano’s body seemed to twist and unform, to melt and shatter all at once. At last, with one last shriek, the demon exploded into a puff of black smoke, leaving behind the heavy scent of sulfur.

Spoony threw down his sword and rushed to Linkara’s side. The young man was still breathing, but barely. Spoony fell to his knees beside him and took his hand. “Linkara,” he said. “Linkara, wake up… please…wake up…”

Slowly, Linkara’s eyes opened. “Spoony?” he whispered. “You came back…”

“I never left,” Spoony assured him. “I just went to get my sword…I’m sorry, I didn’t realize…you shouldn’t have been hurt…”

“He…he wanted to call you back…”

“I know…fuck, I know…Linkara…”

“It’s all right…” His breathing was growing short. “It’s all right…I’ll see you again soon…”

“Linkara…”

“Spoony…”

“I love you.” Spoony bent and pressed his lips to Linkara’s. “I love you… and I bind myself to you.” He lay down beside him. “So yes… you will see me soon.” Spoony gathered Linkara into his arms, laying his wing over them both again. “Are you…comfortable?”

“Spoony…”

“I’m bound to you…that means…I die with you…and I share your fate…no matter what it is.”

Linkara stared at him. “Spoony…”

“It’s all right…it means an eternity with you…and there’s nowhere I’d rather be.”

“What if we don’t make it to Heaven?”

Spoony could feel the tears welling in his eyes, but he swallowed them back. “Then I’ll take whatever Hell they give us.”

Linkara nodded weakly. His eyes closed. “Thank you,” he whispered. “I love you…”

“I love you too…” They kissed again before they both fell back on the carpet. “I love you so very, very much…”

As the world faded to black, Spoony heard Linkara whisper faintly.

_As I lay me down to sleep,_

_I pray the Lord my soul to keep,_

_And should I die before I wake,_

_I pray the Lord my soul to take…_


	7. Chapter 7

“Spoony.”  
  
  
Spoony opened his eyes. He was still in Linkara’s living room, lying on the floor with the young man safely in his arms. He could still feel a faint heartbeat. It wasn’t too late…  
  
  
Saint Peter was standing over them, his face unreadable. “You have bound yourself to a human.”  
  
  
“Yes,” Spoony said. He wasn’t going to be cowed by Saint Peter anymore.  
  
  
“You have chosen to share his life.”  
  
  
“Yes.”  
  
  
“And his death, no matter how soon.”  
  
  
“Even if it’s right now.”  
  
  
“And you are willing to accept his ultimate fate.”  
  
  
“As long as I can stay by his side, I will accept anything.”  
  
  
Saint Peter nodded. “I just wanted to be sure you understood.”  
  
  
Spoony looked at him. “I just failed an important trial, didn’t I?”  
  
  
“Failed?” Saint Peter repeated. “You couldn’t possibly fail that trial. You have love to share and you’ve chosen to give it. I’d say you passed with flying colors.”  
  
  
Spoony smiled slightly. “Well, then, we’ll be seeing you at the gate in a moment.”  
  
  
“No,” Saint Peter said. Spoony looked up at him, incredulous. “He is not going to die.”  
  
  
“But…”  
  
  
“Close your eyes and count to three.”  
  
  
Spoony did so, wondering what could possibly happen to them now…  
  
  
“Open them.”  
  
  
He did.  
  
  
Linkara’s wounds were gone. There was no longer blood on the carpet. His breathing was normal and his heart was beating strongly. But that wasn’t the only change. Spoony had not sat up, had not moved his wing… but it was gone. His wings were both gone for good.  
  
  
He swallowed, but smiled.  
  
  
With a slight sigh and smile, Linkara’s eyes opened and met his. “Spoony?” he said.  
  
  
“Yes…” Spoony pulled him close and kissed him. “Yes, I’m here… and I’ll never leave your side… I don’t think I could if I wanted to…”  
  
  
“But…the demon…”  
  
  
“It’s gone. I defeated it…and we’re alive, we’re both alive.”  
  
  
“Alive?” Linkara looked at him. “Your wing…”  
  
  
“I bound myself to you,” Spoony said. “Which means I’ll live a mortal life…a normal life. No wings, no tasks…just me.”  
  
  
Linkara sat up and that was when he saw Saint Peter. “Oh…” he gasped. “Um…”  
  
  
“Hello, Linkara,” Saint Peter said gently. “I hope you don’t mind that I have invaded your home, but I want to be sure of something.”  
  
  
“Of course not,” Linkara said weakly.  
  
  
“Do you understand what has taken place?”  
  
  
“Sort of…”  
  
  
Saint Peter nodded and explained, “He is bound to you. His heart beats with yours. He will share eternity with you, as one flesh and soul, united in the eyes of God. Is this agreeable to you?”  
  
  
“Yes,” Linkara said. “Yes, it is…I…I love him.”  
  
  
Saint Peter smiled. “Then you are bound, now and forever. Married in the sight of the Lord. And I hope you will be very happy together.” With that, Saint Peter vanished.  
Tears poured down Spoony’s face, but he was smiling, smiling because he could share life and death with Linkara, with this beautiful, kind, faithful man. Linkara stared at him for a moment before reaching up and stroking his cheek. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered. “And I’m so happy…I’ll have you.”  
  
  
Spoony smiled and kissed him again, pulling Linkara as close as possible. “I’m happy, too,” he whispered.  
  
  
“Even though you can’t go back to Heaven?”  
  
  
“I can’t go back now. We’ll both make it there, someday. And when we do, they’ll welcome us with trumpets and robes and wings…and you’ll see everything.”  
  
  
“I already have everything.” Linkara pressed up and kissed Spoony. “I have my work, and my faith, and my angel…what more could I possibly want?”  
  
  
“I don’t know,” Spoony admitted. “But if you want anything…anything at all…just ask.”  
  
  
“Hmm…” Linkara smiled. “I can think of something…if you’re not opposed…” He leaned in and whispered softly in Spoony’s ear.  
  
  
Spoony grinned and kissed Linkara again, warmly, passionately, kissing him in the way he would for the rest of time.   
  
  
Heaven could wait a little longer.


End file.
